Audio / guitar sampling

I would like to sample guitar and other sounds into the mpc live 2. I understand i can do this with extra hardware, but i don’t have a studio and i would like to reduce time setting up equipment to a minimum.

Is there a workable way to get around this? For example i saw a zoom h4n which i can use to record, but will this be a workable solution or will this cost me even more time to import and sync the recordings?

I’m very new to this, so i hope you have some tips for me.

You know you bought a sampler, right? What kind of guitar are you trying to record, electric?

you can record\sample only two kind of signals in the mpc live:
1)line level signals (cd players, computer, synths, line out from guitar amps)
2)phono signals (turntables)

you cannot sample\record:
1)mic level signals (they are too weak and need preamping, you can try but you'll have a very low level and when you normalize it you'll have tons of noise)
2)hi-z\instrument (high impedance) signals (electric guitar\bass directly from the pickups)

to record electric guitar: plug it into your guitar amp and take the line out signal from it. if you don't have line out, use a microphone on the guitar amp, plug it into a mixer and record from the mixer (direct outs, aux send, main out...)
another way is to use something like Sansamp...

in general i think even a cheap mixer is a great companion to an mpc. you can exploit the multiple outs from the mpc and use its preamps for mics, down mix several sources to sample from them etc...

I know i bought a sampler and thats what i intend to use it for. It regards electric guitar but heavily distorted. Just short riffs like Helmet / House of pain “just another victim” (from 2:26 onward). Couldn’t get the sound i want from a helix / line out (to digital sounding for me) so i want to record it directly from a tube amp.

A mixer should work and i probably go that way. But i don’t have a specific room where all my gear is so i have to set up everything first when i have some inspiration. And than often lose the inspiration looking for a power cord. So any suggestions for a simple setup would be welcome.

I was about to suggest a behringer gdi21 but you mentioned it sounds digital from helix !
keep in mind that a filed recorder will ruin your tube amp recording since they tend to be harsh on high frequencies (plus it will capture all reflections from acoustically untreated room)
A cheap ribbon mic would be nice, but they are very fragile . Maybe an SM57 and Behringer MIC500 preamp would be ok

Fellow guitarist here:

The mpc live input has enough power to take a sm58. So you could use that to record your amp.
Just plugging in your guitar directly (electric or semi-acoustic with active preamp) also works. However, there are no guitar amp fx in the mpc. So you would have to use eq’s and distortion fx to simulate that.
Then also the helix is an easy option. In my exoerience that well. It sounds digitally when listening to the take. However, when you start mixing tour song it will be a lot easier and you wont be able to hear thats digital anymore within context.

Are you using Line Level Inputs or RCA Inputs to record the Electric Guitar?

Swap Input Cable Types to see if you have less Distortion

Get a Fender Mustang Micro headphone amp. It has nice effects and sounds dope.

Vox amplugs.. headphone out to line in on mpc. The device plugs directly into guitar, battery powered. Line6 pod even better.
Really any device that can boost the guitar signal to line level. An old distortion pedal with a level output knob would work.

ShengTao wrote:Vox amplugs.. headphone out to line in on mpc. The device plugs directly into guitar, battery powered. Line6 pod even better.
Really any device that can boost the guitar signal to line level. An old distortion pedal with a level output knob would work.

This.

MPC inputs require around 1.23 Volts (@4dBu), maybe a bit less.

Dynamic microphones like SM58 usually output around 0.05V tops - @3mV/Pa with 120 dB(SPL), which estimates to a space rocket launch from ~100 m/yds distance, which is loud. Instrument level is even lower than that. So you definitely should amp it up, or you‘ll get a ****load of noise and depending on your input gain lots of unwanted distortion.

No guarantee my given values are 100% correct, but that shows the scale why you can‘t just plug them in. On another note, putting an unbalanced guitar out to a balanced input might cause damage to your equipment, although I have never experienced this - so far.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Getting a proper used mixer & some BIG SD CARDS [for saving big chunks of audio] will save u a lot of trouble . . . .

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Mackie/Mix ... 8845626.gc


https://reverb.com/p/yamaha-mg06x

83dude wrote:another note, putting an unbalanced guitar out to a balanced input might cause damage to your equipment, although I have never experienced this - so far.
Please correct me if I am wrong.

Unbalanced out to balanced input doesn’t cause any problem
The opposite (balanced out to unbalanced input) can cause damage on some equipment that can’t handle it . The output is stressed and might get damaged (had a mixer & in the manual it said to avoid that type of connection)

I dont use any extra equipment i record guitar directly into channel input 1 (mono). Guitar > ts patch > mpc input. Crank the sample volume and turn the guitars knobs up. It will work fine and prpbably sound way better than if you pass it through some hum introducing piece of hardware before entering the mpc. As a general rule if your items dont need a phono preamp or mixer inline to increase amplitude don't use them. If you capture on a minimal low/no-noise circuit you can normalize or crank the volume later.

Another fun tip is you can actually run a band off the mpc.. lol you can put a guitar into the left input, one into the right input, set up your fx chain WITH MAXIMIZER (hint wink elbow nudge!) and plug in a keyboard and have 4 people playing. Keys, drums and two guitars. Mind blown right? The force is even cooler for that stuff.

Ultros wrote:I dont use any extra equipment i record guitar directly into channel input 1 (mono). Guitar > ts patch > mpc input. Crank the sample volume and turn the guitars knobs up. It will work fine and prpbably sound way better than if you pass it through some hum introducing piece of hardware before entering the mpc. As a general rule if your items dont need a phono preamp or mixer inline to increase amplitude don't use them.

It's not only the lack of gain, ,but the difference on impedance that can cause specific frequencies roll off
But sure it works
Tip : use a pseudobalance connection to reduce noise . TRS cable where you cut the Ring connection and connect the guitar , and the other side (without cutting anything) on the MPC
That way you gain 50% of a balanced connection ,but keep in mind pseudobalanced connections are sensitive to radio freq and static
Hope it's helpful

Ah, id not thought about impedence matching. do you know the imepedence of the ts lines by chance? Something i wouldnt mind knowing.

Hey wait a minute, im a sane signal processing guy.. if your source is unballance it doesnt matter if you send it down a ballanced feed line you're still already losing signal. Like for instance a 75 ohm antenna on a 300 ohm feed line (without a ballun). If your source is unballanced it doesnt matter if you stick a ballanced line between it and the box the source signal is still lossy. mixers do impedence matching?